An armed man robbed a jewelry store at Viewmall Shopping Center in Vientiane Capital on Friday, making off with valuables.
The robbery occurred at Khounkham Jewelry Store inside ViewMall Shopping Center around 3 pm on Friday.
According to a viral video, the thief pretended to be a customer, asking to view jewelry products while wearing a facemask, before grabbing the items and attempting to flee.
The jewelry store employees managed to lock the door, however, the man threatened them with a firearm before breaking the door with a hammer and escaping.
The thief is believed to be behind a spate of similar robberies, breaking into jewelry stores at Vientiane Center shopping mall and Sikhai Market in Vientiane Capital after allegedly escaping from prison.
Social media users commented that authorities seem to have had difficulty finding the man, and have suggested that jewelry stores up security in the future.
“Jewelry stores should install bulletproof door glass, and customers should remove their facemasks before entering the store,” one social media user commented.
The thief was observed scoping out several stores until he targeted the store with poor security.
Police in Vientiane have not yet issued a statement regarding the case.
